Man arrested driving to court to be sentenced for the same crime

A driver was arrested for driving while disqualified while on his way to court to be sentenced for the same offence.

Osvaldas Zeniauskas, 35, was pulled over by officers in King’s Lynn while heading to the magistrates’ court.

He had borrowed his brother’s car because he thought he was going to be late for his hearing.

Zeniauskas was already banned after being caught doing 118mph on the A47 while disqualified and initially blowing over the drink-drive limit.

Police were amazed to discover him back behind the wheel less than a mile from where he was about to be sentenced for the same offence.

In a tweet, King’s Lynn Police said: “We stopped a man driving while disqualified who was on his way to court for... driving while disqualified.”

Zeniauskas, a King’s Lynn resident, appeared before magistrates on Thursday to be sentenced for both the original and new offences.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, speeding and having no insurance after being stopped on the A47 at Terrington St John, Norfolk on December 17 last year.

Police had clocked him doing 118mph on the dual carriageway before discovering he was a banned driver.

Prosecutor Wayne Ablett said he had failed a breath test at the roadside though later readings were below the limit.

Mr Ablett said by driving to the court sentencing he had shown a “complete disregard for the order of the court”.

Annette Hall, mitigating, said: “He has made a monumental and significant error of judgement. He has explained to me there is no excuse for his decision to drive.”

He had told police he feared he was going to be late for court and that a warrant would be issued for his arrest.

“He was in difficulties getting to the court, but he made a huge mistake by stupidly borrowing his brother’s car,” she added.

“He clearly did not think about his actions in the most sensible way.”

Magistrates jailed him for 18 weeks suspended for 18 months and disqualified him from driving for a further two years.

They also ordered him to do 150 hours of unpaid work, 50 rehabilitation days and undergo alcohol monitoring for 90 days.

They said: “You have shown a complete disregard for the law by driving yet again while disqualified which the court takes an extremely dim view of.”